Sema buys Swedish company

SEMA GROUP, the Anglo-French computer company, has moved into Scandinavia with the purchase of a Swedish state-owned information technology company for Skr250m ( pounds 20m), writes Russell Hotten.

Sema has bought the facilities management and consulting operations of SKDforetagen, which specialises in government data and administrative processing.

The operation, with a turnover of pounds 92.3m, is one of the largest information technology companies in Scandinavia, and customers include multinationals as well as the Swedish government.

The sale is part of a programme of privatisations being carried out in Sweden.

Pierre Bonelli, Sema's chief executive, said: 'This acquisition demonstrates the importance Sema places on global account management of multinational companies and also establishes our presence in Scandinavia.' After the purchase facilities management will represent more than 20 per cent of Sema's turnover, against 15.5 per cent before.